MMO and SEO News from Gameforumer.com

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• SOE's John Smedley tackles an epic AMA
• Awesomenauts – MOBA with a familiar yet different feel
• WildStar Online – Housing system trailer leaves me in doubts
• Gravity Interactive launches PvP Tournament via Warpportal
• Update 7.5 for World of Tanks goes live
• City of Steam begins third alpha weekend tonight
• World Of Battleships Gets Name Change
• Blacklight Retribution Hosts $1,000 Daily Contest
• Black Prophecy Tactics: Nexus Conflict – Early Closed Beta Preview
• Blade Soul – No activation keys for debut test phase

SOE's John Smedley tackles an epic AMA Posted: 03 Aug 2012 07:55 AM PDT

Awesomenauts – MOBA with a familiar yet different feel Posted: 03 Aug 2012 07:50 AM PDT   Not really a seasoned gamer in the MOBA scene (kind of like LoL, hates Dota 2), I was apprehensive at first about getting Awesomenauts from Steam, since it originated from consoles and the controls might not be optimized. But after a couple of screenshots and trailers later, I plunged in $9.99, bought it and played a few rounds… I actually like it! A cartoony-side scroller MOBA, the first of its kind, the idea really works well despite the early map having only 2 "lanes", kind of like LoL's Twisted Treeline. Heroes are unlocked by leveling up (for now), skill sets can be chosen before a match starts, which makes game time much faster. Using the mouse to actually target the right direction and attack is something which I have not seen for a while. Will try to play some real, online matches (PvP) after I get the hang of it. If you have spare cash and are looking for a casual game to play, Awesomenauts is the best option this summer

WildStar Online – Housing system trailer leaves me in doubts Posted: 03 Aug 2012 07:50 AM PDT   Yes, the housing system. Personally, I am not really sure why the other "major" game websites I visit have users foaming at their mouths with excitement about this feature for NCsoft's WildStar. Yes, I see it as an awesome social function, away from combat and raiding and grinding. But I still can't see the major appeal of it since the trailer does not actually show how the housing system is unique compared to others. And I have a concern. Apparently, everyone at level 6 will get their own plot of land after completing a quest to start laying their house's foundations. Level 6… If there are some bonuses which comes along with the housing system, doesn't that kind of "force" every player to have a nicely decorated house and garden? I am currently having 2 minds about this, so if you have any thoughts, do enlighten me.

Gravity Interactive launches PvP Tournament via Warpportal Posted: 03 Aug 2012 07:50 AM PDT

Update 7.5 for World of Tanks goes live Posted: 03 Aug 2012 07:50 AM PDT

City of Steam begins third alpha weekend tonight Posted: 03 Aug 2012 07:46 AM PDT

World Of Battleships Gets Name Change Posted: 03 Aug 2012 07:40 AM PDT Wargaming has announced that its upcoming naval MMO, World of Battleships, has been renamed World of Warships. World of Warships will continue to focus on the same gameplay and combat as before, simply under a new name; it will also be included in the common economic system between World of Tanks and World of Warplanes. Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi stated: "The company is gearing up, and so are its titles. In addition to more accurately reflecting the game's core essence, World of Warships™ will correspond more closely to the framework of our Wargaming universe."     Source: Wargaming Renames World of Battleships to World of Warships New Title to Better Reflect Wargaming Universe 2nd August 2012 — Wargaming, the award-winning global video game developer and publisher, today announced that its upcoming naval MMO action game, World of Battleships, has been retitled to World of Warships™. All further references to the game and its development will continue under the new title. "The company is gearing up, and so are its titles," said Victor Kislyi, CEO of Wargaming. "In addition to more accurately reflecting the game's core essence, World of Warships™ will correspond more closely to the framework of our Wargaming universe." While the game has changed its title, the gameplay hasn't. World of Warships™ will still focus on straightforward naval action gameplay, including accessible controls, historically accurate vessels and combat, as well as a deep and engaging upgrade and customization system. World of Warships™ will also be included in the Wargaming.net common economic system that will allow players to distribute resources between the three titles. World of Warships™ is scheduled to set sail in 2013.

Blacklight Retribution Hosts $1,000 Daily Contest Posted: 03 Aug 2012 07:34 AM PDT

Black Prophecy Tactics: Nexus Conflict – Early Closed Beta Preview Posted: 03 Aug 2012 07:34 AM PDT Black Prophecy amazed players by offering a 3D sci-fi MMO with amazing graphics, a compelling storyline, and excellent controls.  Black Prophecy Tactics: Nexus Conflict seeks to build on that, shifting the focus from the smaller starships of Black Prophecy to the gargantuan battle cruisers.  The massive ships are, as the game puts it, where legends are born. How does the game fair when placed against its predecessor? Black Prophecy Tactics: Nexus Conflict boasts some incredible graphics and animations, something Black Prophecy itself is known for. After watching a dazzling opening cinematic, we were given the option to choose between the Tyi and Geniden. Although there seems to be little difference between the two, we opted for Geniden because we liked the faction symbol – a true gamer decision. Once in game, we're deposited onto a space station hangar.  This screen is something you'll get used to, as it becomes a frequent main screen during gameplay.     The game provided a quick, early tutorial on how to access our ship, how to equip our ship with an afterburner, and how to use the star map. The star map shows various systems and sectors in Nexus Conflict, and is another commonly used screen for finding missions. Our first objective was to travel to Cryo Prime to learn basic movement. Cryo Prime treated us to a very lovely, very massive blue dwarf star.  The game had set up several waypoints for us to follow, and taught how to control the camera, how to move to targets, the use of afterburners, and warping.  All of these actions can be accomplished by either clicking the target in the right side bar or using keyboard shortcuts.     After completing the mission, we're given yet another tutorial on how to equip modules to our ship.  Modules are assorted upgrades, with effects like decreased incoming damage or shield repair. We're also provided our first weapon – a laser – and taught how to purchase ammunition and other goods from the shop.  After equipping it, we're given yet another training mission on Cryo Prime for combat, so off we go! Here, combat is the key.  The first target we're given doesn't fight back, so after getting in range of our laser, it's quickly destroyed without a challenge.  The ship also dropped a container, providing us some loot for our efforts.  Our second target is a little bit tougher: a pirate ship.  This one also fights back, and flees from us at the same time.  At some point during this exercise, we managed to change our camera view to the pirate ship; we had no idea where we were in relation other than the laser beams still firing from our ship.     Once the pirate ship had been destroyed, we're ushered back to the station, given another upgrade, and a squadron to equip.  Squadrons are like the jets stationed on an aircraft carrier.  They can launch from your ship and help against opponents, or guard your ship defensively. We're also introduced to the constructor, which increases the parameters of items, making them more powerful and/or potent. Next, we're educated on skills.  There are six different skill trees available, and there are a lot of skills per tree to learn.  After developing our skill with light lasers even further, the game leads us along to the next mission:  Player versus Player combat.  However, there were no PvP missions going at the time, so we were stuck.  At some point, we managed to go back to the station, and the game gave us credit for completing the PvP mission anyway.     The end of the tutorial marked the end of Nexus Conflict's coherency.  We tried buying a new weapon, only to find the ammunition for the weapon was grossly out of our budget (hardly an expected turn of events, especially for a newbie).  We also explored the star map and found a set of beginner missions, but the pirate ship we faced ended up destroying us time and time again. Eventually, we ran out of credits, and were unable to complete missions to earn more. It's possible we were simply awful at the game; unfortunately, there seemed to be no direction from the tutorial into further gameplay to help us build our skills. Luckily, an update is forthcoming to address a few of the issues we faced while playing.  The main story of Nexus Conflict will be brought more into focus, providing more missions, more objectives, and more direction for players to explore.  Drops will be added that can be processed in the constructor for special missions as well, adding variety to what you can expect in PvE.  Shops are being reworked; standard modules will always be available, and black market with rotating equipment will be added.     Player versus player is also getting an overhaul.  First, an instant action button is being implemented, allowing you to jump right into a PvP match.  Players will need to defend their station, in addition to destroying the enemies.  This gives more incentive to team up with others, use some solid tactics, and make the experience much better.  The update will also introduce clans, so you can join with people you work well with.  Trading between players will also be allowed, giving more means to get stronger ships. Overall, Black Prophecy Tactics: Nexus Conflict is a very gorgeous looking game that needs a bit more direction towards making it a complete package.  Positive changes are coming for the game, and while it's still very much in development, the team seems very dedicated and hopeful to give it the same level of attention as Black Prophecy.  The upcoming changes are a great start, and will definitely improve the tactical shooter portion of gameplay as the game is intended.

Blade Soul – No activation keys for debut test phase Posted: 03 Aug 2012 07:30 AM PDT   This is something rarely used in the Asian market. For Blade & Soul China's upcoming debut test phase on 16th August, publisher Tencent Games announced that there will be no beta keys given out. Tencent account holders will only have to answer a short survey, and if selected, the account will automatically gain access to the server. Also, the No.1 online gaming company in China warned users about scams going on in the Internet with regards to sales of these mythical "activation keys".

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MMO Updates

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• Firefall beta tournament to debut at gamescom
• MMO Blender: Larry's old-school 16-bit MMO
• Pirate101 sails into closed beta
• City of Steam begins third alpha weekend tonight
• Forbes: Activision's dependence on declining WoW subs 'potential for a catastrophic situation'
• SOE's John Smedley tackles an epic AMA
• New ArcheAge video shows new styles for next closed beta
• PlanetSide 2 beta starts Monday
• The Daily Grind: Have you ever been scared in an MMO?
• The MMO Report: Updates on updates edition
• The Summoner's Guidebook: Is League of Legends' grind too much for a competitive game?
• Jukebox Heroes Extra: Five exclusive DDO music tracks for your listening pleasure
• The Perfect Ten: Goosebump trailers
• Lord of the Rings Online posts a new developer diary on Champions
• World of Warcraft has 9.1 million subscribers, down by a million since May
• The Guild Counsel: Gender choice and guild drama
• Ask Massively: Welcome to here edition
• Dawn of Fantasy's been invaded by Dwarves
• EVE CSM 7 meeting minutes published
• Shadowrun Online coming to Ouya and Linux

Firefall beta tournament to debut at gamescom Posted: 03 Aug 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Events, real-world, New titles, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, Firefall What do Firefall, 10,000 euros, and gamescom have in common? Europe's first Firefall Beta Tournament! Red 5 Studios is partnering with Electronic Sports League (ESL) to bring attendees of gamescom 2012 the opportunity to participate in this tournament and battle it out for a grand prize of 10,000 euros. Registration and the tournament qualifiers will start on Thursday the 16th of August at the ESL Arena and continue through the 17th. On Saturday the 18th, the qualifying players will compete for the prize money on the ESL stage in front of spectators. Fans anticipating the free-to-play shooter but unable to attended can watch the finals streamed live at www.esl.tv. [Source: Red 5 Studios press release] Firefall beta tournament to debut at gamescom originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

MMO Blender: Larry's old-school 16-bit MMO Posted: 03 Aug 2012 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Game mechanics, Opinion, Ultima Online, Guild Wars 2, Free Realms, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Miscellaneous, MMO Blender, Housing In August of 1991, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System launched in North America, kick-starting what would eventually be the biggest boom in console roleplaying games. Granted, some of us had been playing RPGs on consoles like the original NES, but RPGs didn't see as big a console boom as they did on the SNES. In fact, console RPGs haven't seen the same level of popularity since the SNES. A quick jump over to VGChartz shows us that out of the top 50 games sold world-wide on any individual console, RPGs on the SNES dominated the NES, the Playstation, and even the Nintendo DS, boasting titles like Dragon Quest VI, Final Fantasy III, and Super Mario RPG. If you take into account some adventure games that should be considered RPGs, like Super Metroid and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, then you have arguably the best platform of all time for the genre. Nowadays, with online gaming and indie companies sprouting up all over the place, a 16-bit online RPG would probably sell really well, especially if it took some of the best elements from the classic console RPGs of the NES/SNES era. Isn't that right, Cthulhu Saves the World? Let's see what I can throw together from some of my favorite 8- and 16-bit games. Continue reading MMO Blender: Larry's old-school 16-bit MMO MMO Blender: Larry's old-school 16-bit MMO originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Pirate101 sails into closed beta Posted: 03 Aug 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Pirate101 Ahoy, landlubbers! If ye be ready to get your sea legs, prepare for adventure and board Pirate101 as it leaves dock and sets sail into closed beta. Although first-round invitations to participate in the beta have already gone out to testers, more beta key giveaways are in the works and will appear over the next several weeks. You can keep up-to-date on all beta access promotions at the official website. Pirate101 offers rich storylines, fully-voiced characters, and friendly navigation in a game with something for everyone, whether a player is casual or seeks more complex and in-depth systems. The game is set to launch later this year. [Source: KingsIsle Entertainment press release] Pirate101 sails into closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

City of Steam begins third alpha weekend tonight Posted: 03 Aug 2012 08:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Events, in-game, New titles, News items, Races, City of Steam The human and elven races have already flocked to the declining metropolis of Nexus in City of Steam's first two alpha weekends. Tonight, the steampunk MMORPG kicks off its third alpha weekend at 10:00 p.m. EDT. Regrettably, not all of the greenskin races will be available in this alpha weekend as previously planned. On the plus side, the Goblins, one of the most anticipated races, will be featured. If you were really looking forward to either the Orcs or the Hobbes, take heart -- the studio has announced there will be a fourth alpha weekend which will include all nine races, more daily quests, and even more content. Supporter packs are still available on the official site for those wanting priority admittance to the alpha. [Source: Mechanist Games press release] City of Steam begins third alpha weekend tonight originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Forbes: Activision's dependence on declining WoW subs 'potential for a catastrophic situation' Posted: 03 Aug 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, MMO industry, Guild Wars 2, Miscellaneous With the recent news of World of Warcraft's struggling subscription numbers fresh on the mind, Forbes investigated WoW's primary shareholder -- and predicted trouble on the horizon for investors. "After looking into Activision Blizzard, Inc., we discovered an amazing looking company that is unfortunately almost completely sustained by the revenue it reaps from one game, World of Warcraft," the authors notes. "When considering that the same company has a 60% majority shareholder (Vivendi) looking to sell its shares in the company you get the potential for a catastrophic situation." Because Vivendi is having difficulty unloading Activision, Forbes says that any sharp decline in World of Warcraft's revenue will drag down Vivendi's stock severely. The authors also note that the company will suffer from the launch of Guild Wars 2: "The bottom line here is that gamers like to start on level playing fields. Gamers love to save money. Gamers are always in a frantic rush to play superior games. These three factors are the main reasons why Guild Wars 2 will win over market share from WoW." [Thanks to Mike for the tip!] Forbes: Activision's dependence on declining WoW subs 'potential for a catastrophic situation' originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Forbes

SOE's John Smedley tackles an epic AMA Posted: 03 Aug 2012 07:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Business models, MMO industry, Star Wars Galaxies, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Community Q&A, Miscellaneous, PlanetSide 2 What do you get when the president of SOE steps up to the mic at Reddit and tells the crowd to ask him anything? You get everything ranging from the NGE to former employee critiques to humble origin stories. The crowd didn't waste time getting John Smedley to apologize for Star Wars Galaxies' NGE once again. "Stupid decisions. Complete and utter fail and I am very sorry," he said. After that, the topic quickly turned to SOE's rising star, PlanetSide 2. Smedley said that he's been closely involved with the design of PS2. With the beta beginning on Monday, he also assured the crowd that it should be around two to three weeks to get everyone in who has keys. He said that the game's coming along swimmingly: "I play the game three to four hours a day now. It's rough but fun as hell." Smedley also admitted that SOE is working on additional undisclosed IPs. When asked about SWTOR's transitioning to F2P, he stated, "It is the only way to go for new games. It was the right decision for SWTOR (which is a fantastic game). Wait until you see our next round of games after PS2." SOE's John Smedley tackles an epic AMA originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Reddit AMA

New ArcheAge video shows new styles for next closed beta Posted: 03 Aug 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, News items, ArcheAge, Sandbox XLGAMES has been showing off more and more of ArcheAge's goodies in preparation for the games' upcoming fifth Closed Beta Test. After a story teaser trailer and a video introduction to new areas last week, it's time to see some of the shiny in store for your characters! This newest video highlights some of the new armors and weapons available in CBT 5. Each gorgeous armor piece and weapon is shown in fine detail, presumably to make people not in the CBT even more jealous than they already were. Check out the video after the cut for some very snazzy outfits accompanied by a brief interlude in a room with a sleeping woman and half-naked man. Continue reading New ArcheAge video shows new styles for next closed beta New ArcheAge video shows new styles for next closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: ArcheAge CBT 5 video

PlanetSide 2 beta starts Monday Posted: 03 Aug 2012 06:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, PlanetSide 2 In a tweet by SOE president John Smedley yesterday, we learn that the highly anticipated PlanetSide 2 beta will begin this Monday, August 6, at 2 p.m. We can only assume that this means 2 p.m. PDT, as SOE and Smed are in that timezone, but we'll keep you updated on more details as they arrive. PlanetSide 2 beta starts Monday originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: John Smedley's Twitter

The Daily Grind: Have you ever been scared in an MMO? Posted: 03 Aug 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous With the release of The Secret World, the topic of horror in MMOs has taken a sharp uptick in player conversations. For some, the title is creepy and spooky as all get out; for others, it's hard to get frightened with all these other people around and a solid shotgun in your hands. But The Secret World doesn't have a monopoly on scares in MMOs, as even the most benign titles may produce a moment or two that gives you the willies. It could be a monster that pops out of nowhere, a creature design that sincerely unnerves you, or a situation in which you feel utter dread and despair. I always felt that Fallen Earth delivered more than a few locations and moments that deeply unsettled me, and I'll admit to even jumping in fright once when I saw a giant wolf come out of the shadows in a darkened boiler room. So what about you? Have you ever been scared in an MMO, and if so, what happened? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind! The Daily Grind: Have you ever been scared in an MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The MMO Report: Updates on updates edition Posted: 02 Aug 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Video, MMO industry, News items, Humor, The MMO Report, Miscellaneous This week's installment of The MMO Report is an update on the news around the MMO industry, as it is every week. The first item on host Casey Schreiner's agenda is the The Secret World's first major update. So if you want to make a joke in the comments about getting some updates in your updates, well, we just made that joke for you. Sorry to disappoint. But that's not all there is to cover in this week's installment, as there's also an announcement about Star Wars: The Old Republic going free-to-play. You might have heard about it. Last but not least, it's time for the show to dive back into its mailbag, complete with fan art that has to be seen to be perceived. Click on past the break to see the full video, and tune in every week to see a new installment of The MMO Report from G4TV and Massively. Continue reading The MMO Report: Updates on updates edition The MMO Report: Updates on updates edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: G4TV feed

The Summoner's Guidebook: Is League of Legends' grind too much for a competitive game? Posted: 02 Aug 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Game mechanics, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-play, MOBA, League of Legends, The Summoner's Guidebook League of Legends has had one of the most meteoric ascensions of any current e-sport. From the first tournaments of season one to tomorrow's MLG Summer Arena, LoL has made a bigger splash in the e-sports community than any title launched since StarCraft II. However, the long grind to get to summoner level 30 poses a difficult barrier of entry for players looking to someday join the pros. It isn't necessary to grind levels to unlock +3 infantry weapons in StarCraft, so gating runes and masteries behind a grind seems a bit ridiculous. I've thought that the forced grind was excessive since I started playing LoL. I'm not opposed to having a grind at all, but I've always thought it was silly that levels and runes can't be purchased with real money. Are levels and grinds bad for a competitive game like League of Legends, or does the grind actually improve the quality of player skill at the higher levels? Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Is League of Legends' grind too much for a competitive game? The Summoner's Guidebook: Is League of Legends' grind too much for a competitive game? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Jukebox Heroes Extra: Five exclusive DDO music tracks for your listening pleasure Posted: 02 Aug 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Culture, MMO industry, Free-to-play, Miscellaneous, Jukebox Heroes I'll be honest: Part of the reason I'm doing this column is to get my grubby mitts (and ears) on as much MMO music as possible. So while it's great to talk with composers about their projects, I'm even more interesting in hearing the finished result. For a companion piece to my Chance Thomas interview, Turbine sent over five exclusive tracks from Dungeons and Dragons Online: Menace of the Underdark. Sound Video Technology Director Steve DiGregorio wrote, performed, and recorded each of these, as both he and Thomas collaborated on Turbine's two expansions. In addition to the tracks and my thoughts on them, DiGregorio provided descriptions of each for illumination. Are you excited? I know I am, so let's hop to it! Continue reading Jukebox Heroes Extra: Five exclusive DDO music tracks for your listening pleasure Jukebox Heroes Extra: Five exclusive DDO music tracks for your listening pleasure originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Perfect Ten: Goosebump trailers Posted: 02 Aug 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Trailers, Video, Warhammer Online, Star Trek Online, Guild Wars 2, The Secret World, Global Agenda, DC Universe Online, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous, PlanetSide 2, WildStar I love trailers. Man, I love trailers. I'm almost embarrassed to admit it, but sometimes I'll spend a shameful hour just flipping through all of my favorite movie and game trailers. When the editing is tight and the music spot-on, my spine becomes infused with epicness and I feel a heady buzz that comes from seeing so much awesome crammed into such a short clip. Just as in the movie industry, MMO studios are hit or miss with their trailers. There have been so many generic, forgettable videos that I pad the lining of my imaginary dog's crate with them. They're very absorbent and release the fresh scent of pine. But once in a while, there comes along a trailer that acts like the Dark Crystal, sucking my soul right into it before shaking it around and then releasing it. Trailers like that give me goosebumps, and here are 10 of them, all in a row. Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Goosebump trailers The Perfect Ten: Goosebump trailers originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Lord of the Rings Online posts a new developer diary on Champions Posted: 02 Aug 2012 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Classes, Expansions, Game mechanics, News items, Free-to-play The development staff behind Lord of the Rings Online has a chance to make several sweeping changes to the game with the upcoming Riders of Rohan expansion, starting with trimming up and improving the game's classes. A new developer diary outlines the changes coming to the Champion class concurrent with the new expansion. These updates are focused primarily upon threat management and survivability, but all facets of the class will see at least a little attention. A new skill has been added for Champions at level 77, providing AoE threat generation or threat reduction depending on the player's stance. Bracing Attack and Wild Attack have also had their effects boosted, with the former gaining a heal-over-time component and the latter offering a small buff after a critical hit. Certain skills and trait lines are also being adjusted, generally to improve the overall power of the class. While non-Champion players likely won't be too interested in what the diary has to offer, anyone who does play the class should take a look and see what the expansion will bring to the profession. Lord of the Rings Online posts a new developer diary on Champions originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Champion developer diary

World of Warcraft has 9.1 million subscribers, down by a million since May Posted: 02 Aug 2012 02:55 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, MMO industry, News items World of Warcraft remains the reigning titan in terms of subscription-based games... but the titan is looking just a little bit leaner at the moment. The most recent subscriptions numbers for the game were released today in the Activision Blizzard earnings report for Q2 2012, and the game has dropped to a total of 9.1 million subscribers as of the end of June. For those keeping track at home, that's a loss of 1.1 million players since the last update on subscriber numbers in May. Despite the subscriber loss, the overall earning report is positive, citing the announced launch date of Mists of Pandaria and the success of Diablo III (it sold over 10 million copies) as major milestones for the company. According to the report, most of the lost subscriptions are coming from Eastern players rather than US and European players. This is the first time in several years that WoW has been beneath 10 million players, and it's certainly interesting in light of recent discussions about the future of games with a subscription fee. World of Warcraft has 9.1 million subscribers, down by a million since May originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Activision Blizzard Q2 2012 earnings report

The Guild Counsel: Gender choice and guild drama Posted: 02 Aug 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Guilds, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous There are many reasons for guild drama, but one of the most challenging comes from a single choice that we make before our characters even see the light of day. In MMOs, character creation can consist of full customization, or it can simply be a choice among some pre-sets, but the majority of games give you the choice to pick your gender. Even if you select a non-human race, there are usually male versions and female versions. For many players, this is a no-brainer, and they play as their own gender. But many others opt to go cross-gender, and that can lead to drama later on, even if it's unintended. In this week's Guild Counsel, let's look at the topic of gender to see why it can be so problematic and how guilds can avoid potential drama from it. Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Gender choice and guild drama The Guild Counsel: Gender choice and guild drama originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ask Massively: Welcome to here edition Posted: 02 Aug 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Opinion, Humor, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous If you follow MMO news at all, you probably caught the fact that Star Wars: The Old Republic is going free-to-play this fall. This is news only in the most abstract sense of the word. Seriously, it's been three years since Dungeons & Dragons Online made the switch. Basically every title in the world has now converted over and found out that F2P is more or less a license to print money. Free-to-play is not the future of MMOs; free-to-play is the right now and has been for a while. This week's installment of Ask Massively does not cover free-to-play conversions, but as you all know, I've never been a fan of strongly linking the opener to the rest of the article. No, this week we're talking about Blade & Soul. If you've got a question for a future installment of the column, leave it in the comments below or mail it to ask@massively.com. Questions may be edited slightly for clarity and/or brevity. Continue reading Ask Massively: Welcome to here edition Ask Massively: Welcome to here edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Dawn of Fantasy's been invaded by Dwarves Posted: 02 Aug 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Galleries, Screenshots, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, MMORTS, Promotions Things may have seemed quiet for the siege-based Dawn of Fantasy until now, but the thundering sound of cannon fire and Dwarven boots marching on the three realms is breaking that silence. Reverie World Studios has announced The Dwarven Invasion, a new game-changing mini-expansion event that will shake things up. Although the Dwarves visited for a brief time once before, this time they are bringing a new technology: gunpowder. Luckily, not all of the invading horde is about conquering; although players will face Dwarven foes on the battlefield, there will also be select mercenaries joining the fray as friends. Some mercenaries are free of charge, but others can hired from the Online Kingdom Market for a discount. The game also offers a new Dwarven menu design and soundtrack. As a special promotion, from now until August 7th, all games purchased through the official site will include two bonus codes (worth $20 US) redeemable for additional free Dwarven units as well as a Haunter Dragon. Check out some screenshots of the invasion in the gallery below. [Source: Reverie Worlds Studios press release] Gallery: Dawn of Fantasy Screenshot Gallery Dawn of Fantasy's been invaded by Dwarves originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE CSM 7 meeting minutes published Posted: 02 Aug 2012 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Sandbox It's time for more EVE Online serious business courtesy of the meeting minutes from the most recent Council of Stellar Management sit-down. The CSM is CCP's stab at a representative democracy, as EVE players vote for their brethren to sit on the council and said brethren parley with EVE's developers, ostensibly with an eye toward bettering New Eden for their constituents. If you're in the mood for a little light reading, the full minutes are available; they cover topics including the next expansion, the state of Incarna, live events, and more. There's also a corresponding dev blog and a feedback thread on the official EVE boards. EVE CSM 7 meeting minutes published originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

Shadowrun Online coming to Ouya and Linux Posted: 02 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Business models, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Consoles We don't know much about Shadowrun Online, but we do know that it's theoretically coming to the new Android-powered Ouya console as well as Linux-based PCs. We say theoretically because Cliffhanger's Kickstarter project has yet to reach its halfway point with 12 days remaining. Nevertheless, company co-founder Michael Paeck is excited about Shadowrun's cross-platform potential. You can "play the game on your tablet, switch to your desktop PC, and then later enjoy it on your Ouya-connected TV -- without ever having to switch your account or characters or suffer from restrictions based on your device," Paeck says. [Source: Cliffhanger Productions press release] Shadowrun Online coming to Ouya and Linux originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Via: Joystiq

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